Skip to content

Politics

EPA emissions powers avoid becoming US budget casualty

by Martin Leggett 12 Apr 2011
EPA emissions powers avoid becoming US budget casualty

A truce was drawn this weekend in the ongoing partisan spat over the EPA's climate change powers, as the threatened US governmental shutdown was averted by a cliff-hanger deal. The federal budget was finally signed off by Congressional Democrats and Republicans on Friday night, but without referencing the contentious bill that would have halted the EPA's involvement in regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

The 'war of the bills' - seeking to curtail the powers given to the EPA under the Clean Air Act, for regulating climate-changing gases - came to a head last week with Senate and Congress falling on opposing sides of the debate. The Senate kicked the EPA bill back, but Republican-controlled Congress passed it, with a healthy majority.

That left the EPA's role somewhat open to haggling, as the two parties sought to find a budgetary compromise that avoided a government shutdown, from the lack of a budget. But the 'red line' nature of this attack on the EPA was underscored by the Whitehouse, which insisted that a Presidential veto would be used to throw back any such measure.

Then last Friday, the Democrats signaled that if the Republicans dropped their insistence on the bill to 'gut' the EPA, they would support a study that would look into the economic effects of such regulations. Many Republicans have claimed that regulating big polluters, such as power stations and cement factories, would cost US jobs - and wanted to push the saving of the planet to the backseat.

Many in the opposing camp have seen US economic interests as lying in a fuller participation in the 'Clean Energy' economy, where newer sustainable power sources are developed. In the end, though, the details of the final budget agreement left out the any mention of such a study - and also left out any riders that would have stopped the EPA from exercising its powers. That untangling of climate-change action from budget politics was welcomed by President Obama.

After the budget agreement was announced, he issued a statement, saying that ''We ... made sure that at the end of the day, this was a debate about spending cuts, not social issues like women's health and the protection of our air and water. These are important issues that deserve discussion, just not during a debate about our budget.''


Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Lightning Bolt kids eco-friendly long sleeve t-shirtSize Guide Centimeters 3-4yrs 5-6yrs 7-8yrs 9-10yrs 11-12yrs Height 98 112 125 136 147 Chest 60 66 70 75 84 Chest: Measure all around your chest just below your armpits. Height: Your natural height If you fall between...
£18.00
£18.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Union Jack eco-friendly colour tote bagProduct Specification Organic Cotton Tote Bag. Twill Weave (170gsm). 37 x 42 cm (7cm gusset.) Made in India / Designed on the Isle of Wight. Wash Cool, Hang Dry.
£16.00
£16.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Prev Post
Next Post

Eco-Friendly Shop

Women's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Women Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable women’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Men's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Men Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable men’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Kids Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothes for Kids Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable kids clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies and jumpers. Our garments...
Shop Now
Someone recently bought a
[time] ago, from [location]

Thanks for subscribing!

This email has been registered!

Shop the look

Choose Options

Earth Times
Sign up for exclusive updates, new arrivals & insider only discounts

Recently Viewed

Edit Option
Back In Stock Notification
this is just a warning
Login
Shopping Cart
0 items

Before you leave...

Take 20% off your first order

20% off

Enter the code below at checkout to get 20% off your first order

CODESALE20

Continue Shopping